Summer It Up: 61 Great Ideas for Summer Fun

Since I'm doing some traveling later this week to witness the birth of my niece (EEEEEK!), the kids and I will have to make the most of the time we do have together. It will seem like a shorter-than-usual summer break, but I am excited for all this summer will bring! So here's to some creative inspiration to help you plan some summer fun for your kids, besides the usual visiting the pool, park, and playdates. Here we go . . .

1. Set up a fishing pond outdoors with plastic swimming pool and race Juice Box Boats!

4. Give them some fun busy work with "Worksheet Wednesdays". Get some great printables here.

5. Have a Read-In - the kids can get into their comfiest clothes and slippers and bring along a pillow and stuffed animal sit and enjoy reading throughout the day with the kids! Don't forget an endless supply of snack foods & drinks!

6. Set aside a day for puppet shows & paper bag puppet making. Buy a stash of 50 brown paper bags for under $2 at Target and then set out stickers, construction paper, markers, and more for the kids to create their own fun puppets!

7. Turn up the volume on your boombox, CD player, iPod, or whatever you've got and have a dance par-tay! (a great way to sneak in some fun exercise!)

8. Bust out the board games and go to town!

9. Visit a local garden center and purchase a few inexpensive plants/flowers and plant them together one afternoon.

11. Make prayer journals. Purchase small notebooks from the dollar section at the craft store and have kids cover them with paper and other embellishments (buttons, ribbon, glitter pens, etc.) to personalize them. You and your kids will love looking back on these at summer's end to reflect on their summer blessings & prayers!

13. Break out the water squirters, water balloons, sprinklers, for a water fun day!

14. "Do-nut" use your hands for this fun game: Simply tie a line from two trees with string or clothesline wire. Tie a single donut and each child tries to eat the donut without using their hands. First to finish wins!

15. Bob for apples (or pears or any other fun summer fruit!)

16. Make a yarn laser hallway like this one by using yarn and duct tape!

20. Have your kids make their own music videos! Video them dancing to some of their favorite tunes. Then get ready to hit the playback button because you know they won't want to stop watching themselves on camera.

21. Make your own pizzas for lunch or dinner.

22. Have ice cream for dinner . . . at least once! This is a family favorite of ours and my kids go bezerk when they find out I am declaring "ICE CREAM FOR DINNER!"

23. Visit a local park and bring bread to feed the birds.

24. Park & ride your local city bus downtown or to someplace fun -- my kids and I do this every summer!

25. Visit your local library for one of their FREE children's events. Most of them have their calendars and special events online for easy planning.

26. Have your kids document you (and their day) in photos.

27. Before finding out your kids' teacher, have them write a letter to their teacher for the upcoming school year describing what they're most looking forward to about back to school and their new grade level.

28. Interview your kids about their favorite things and their life right now. Then have them interview you!

29. Host a toy-trade-a-thon - invite your kids' friends over and have them bring 10 toys (large or small) to trade or swap with others! Assign each toy a point value - 5 points for small toys, 10 for medium, and 15 for large. Then have kids trade accordingly.

41. Organize a neighborhood service project in your area. Call your local food pantry to see what their greatest need is and then go around your neighborhood with your kids to collect items in a wagon or rolling backpack/suitcase to donate.

55. Take a photo of your kids everyday of summer in the same chair or spot in or around your house. When it's back-to-school time, look back at the photos to see how they've changed!

56. Work on a family LEGO project.

57. Enjoy a "puzzle" day at home, where all leisure time is spent working on puzzle projects together.

58. Organize a "donation-only" car wash and then donate your earnings to a local charity.

59. Design a "coupon book" for your kids with fun things they can redeem - i.e., going out for ice cream, movie time, one-on-one time with mom, reading, breakfast in bed, etc.

60. Look through old family photos of previous summers and reminisce!

61. Visit the library and check out their selection of video games and DVDs and have a day of indoor fun on a rainy day!

And, if these ideas aren't enough to satisfy your creative mama brain, check out this list of holidays for everyday and use it to inspire you to summer it up!

Candy Tai

CANDY TAI is a wife to David and mom of 5 with a degree in Communications. She's a native Texan (Hook 'Em Horns!) who's been making her home in the Kansas City metro area for nearly 15 years. She loves being able to shuffle her kids from their various sports activities, piano lessons, and school activities. She enjoys fashion, beauty, reality TV, and moviegoing.

Comments

the kids can get into their comfiest clothes and slippers and bring along a pillow and stuffed animal sit and enjoy reading throughout the day with the kids! Don't forget an endless supply of snack foods & drink